Fruit-gatherer



s. RICE.

Fluvit-Gatherer. Ne. 224,610. Petenred Feb .17,l1sso.

.7. i l /47/1563f64 v ///i/S/VO/A?. J 1 M' ,di

N.FETERS, PHTO-LITHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SEWELL RICE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

FRUIT-GATHERER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters `Patent No. 224,610, dated February 1'7, 1880.

' Application filed December 16, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:`

Be it known that I, SEWELL RICE, ofthe city and county ot' WVorcester, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and uset'ul Improvement in Fruit-Gatherers, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying' drawing.

This device relates to an improvement on the pat-ent issued to Leonard M. Parker, dated February 19, 1861, No. 31,475, which consisted in a series of wires set in a socket and bent to form a holder for the fruit.

My improvement consists in having a slotted metal plate fastened to two or more of said wires, said slot being formed with a wide oval incline from the upper edge, ending in a lateral narrow slot` having a cutting-edge for the stem of the fruit to pass into, by which the fruit can b e detached from the branchA and drop into the wire holder.

To the metal plate, just above the narrow space for the stem, I attach a steel-toothed cutter operated with al cord and spring.

The drawing represents a perspective view of the holder with my improvement attached thereto.

In the drawing, A A designate the bentwire holder. B represents my metallic plate fastened to the bent wires. G denotes the wide oval incline, and D the narrow lateral slot with cutting-edge; E, the steel-toothed cutter g F, the cord, and G the spring. H denotes the socket in which the wires, are soldered, in the lower end ot' which the handle J is joined. K denotes fruitin the holder.

'With this improvement of mine a single pear, apple, peach, or bunch ot' grapes can be picked from a branch without shaking` other t'rnit which may be near.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent', is-

In a fruit-picker, the combination, with the bent-wire holder A A, of the slotted metal plate B, having inclined cutting-edge C D, the toothed vertically-sliding cutterE, spring G, and cord F, as and for the purpose herein described.

SEWELL RIGE.

Witnesses JoNA. LUTHER, GEO. A. KIMBALL. 

